Consider this my plea: stop terrorizing women. Stop adding trauma to their trauma. If you’re able, stand up to these bullies in nonviolent ways. Speak out. And if you have a camera, use it.
"Anti-abortion forces have succeeded in restricting the availability of abortion through lots of means short of outright prohibition — everything from punitive regulations... to physical intimidation and harassment of abortion providers,"
Well I see that the day after this grotesque right-wing bully became Mayor of Toronto, the right-wing media is going hog wild.
As if those who believe in a modern, more livable city were THE ENEMY. And the grubby uneducated and the boors bores from the suburbs were the future.
And nowhere in all the coverage do I see the word RACISM. When in fact that was the main reason Fordzilla won.
“We can’t even deal with the 2.5 million people. How are we going to welcome another million people in? It is going to be chaotic…. I think we have to say enough’s enough.”
For saying aloud what I hear so many in this city muttering to themselves.
While Premier Dalton McGuinty was lambasting Ford’s comments last month — “I just don’t think it’s representative of Canadians” — we now know that Ford was more in tune with Ontarians, for better or for worse. The latest Angus Reid poll shows opposition to the boat people is strongest in this province.
Because in Canada we like our bigotry DISCREET. And that includes new immigrants, who see other immigrants as competition for low paying jobs. And as the right-wing libertarian Tasha Kheiridin exults, see their new land as a jungle.
Newcomers to Toronto don’t have time to dwell on how to make Toronto “inclusive”. They aren’t interested in funding alternative art exhibits. They could care less about bicycle lanes. They are busy working night and day to feed their kids and put a roof over their heads. They don’t sympathize with “fair wage” policies that pay inflated prices to keep unions happy, at the expense of hard-working taxpayers like themselves.
And for many of these first generation immigrants, just like Ford's bigoted old white supporters, homophobia is a bonus.
And Ford never stopped reminding people that unlike Smitherman, he was married to a woman. With predictable results...
That's the main reason he won. And that's why I agree with Glen Murray.
Glen Murray, the minister of research and innovation and a former Winnipeg mayor, wrote in a post on his Twitter account on the weekend that “If u vote Ford u r voting for bigotry."
Even though Murray has now apologized.
Because there may be other reasons people voted for Ford. But nothing can change the cold hard fact.
I suppose it was inevitable. Even in the most diverse city on earth. When they got tired of attacking George Smitherman's policies, they'd go after his gay family
"Should Muslim vote for him who married a man?" the crudely designed signs read. Attached to the sign is a photograph of Smitherman and his husband Christopher Peloso, and a clipped newspaper headline referring to their adoption of a child.
And then there was that disgusting radio ad. You don't have to understand the language...
But here's the thing eh? When you attack one gay family, you attack them ALL. When you pit one community against the other in a city as diverse as Toronto, the flames will scorch the clouds.
Rob Ford’s long-held belief in traditional marriage has exploded into a campaign issue now that he has endorsed the views of a fundamentalist Christian pastor who suggested online that same-sex marriage could “dismantle” a “healthy democratic civilization."
Never forgive the idiot progressives who could help Rob Ford blow this city apart.
Pantalone and his supporters will have a lot to answer for if Ford gets to unleash his tsunami of misery on the city because they have downplayed the risks.
God save us from the electoral idealists who want you to "vote with your heart." Time after time, they are the right-wing’s secret weapon.
Burn baby burn.
And what does that grotesque bigot bully have to say about all of this?
Great eh?
Being gay is a "lifestyle." People CHOOSE to be gay. At a time when gay people are mourning the deaths of so many teenagers who killed themselves because they couldn't HELP being gay.
You couldn't have attacked a community as savagely if you had stuck a knife in its heart.
Gawd. Living in Toronto isn't easy eh? First we had the G20 to show us how it feels to live in a police state. Nasty. And now we're under attack by a humungous Fordzilla.
A crass right-wing bigot bully who could be the city's next mayor.
And here's the problem. Like many other lefty types I'd like to vote for Joe Pantalone. But unless his supporters switch their votes to George Smitherman, Ford will probably win.
Mayor Joe isn’t going to happen. He’s lost. A vote for him is a statement of principle they could make much more eloquently — and risk-free — with a blog, a Tweet or a letter to the editor explaining why they voted for their second choice.
So I'm with Jonathan Goldsbie:
“I am not a fan of strategic voting,” he wrote, “but neither am I a fan of regret and ridicule; I want to be able to live with myself for the next four years.”
Democracy is not soul food. Elections are not some romantic ideal designed to inspire potential voters. They are duke-outs for the reins of real power. They absolutely have consequences that affect us all, and they demand a healthy, critical rationality.
God save us from the electoral idealists who want you to "vote with your heart." Time after time, they are the right-wing’s secret weapon.
Because it's so true. Progressives need to get real. Stop picking the lint out of their navels, while the bad guys win.
Smitherman is a bit too right-wing for me. And I'm sorry Pantalone is not more popular. But anyone who thinks Smitherman is as bad as Ford is either a Con or an IDIOT.
And surely we can all agree.
That ANYTHING is better than this...
Yup. Sharpen your pencils everyone.
The alarm bells are ringing. Progressives need to get real.
I'm having trouble telling my story. Because it seems so inadequate and so wrong.
But it is a story about a journey from anger and violence, to love and peace.
So although I'm not religious, when I heard that a gay choir in Texas, had joined singers from 30 other religious institutions, to remember some of the bullied kids who didn't make it.
And that the concert included Bach's DONA NOBIS PACEM (Grant Us Peace) from his Mass in B Minor.
The Iraq war wasn't just a horrible mistake, it was a war crime.
George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Tony Blair, and a legion of other neocons should, if there was any justice, be charged with crimes against humanity.
And of course, if Stephen Harper had been Prime Minister, we would be wiping the blood and the shame off OUR hands.
"Mr. Speaker, the issue of war requires moral leadership. We believe the government should stand by our troops, our friends and our allies and do everything necessary to support them right through to victory."
Stephen Harper, supporting the American invasion of Iraq, House of Commons, April 1, 2003.
And don't you love this one?
"This government's only explanation for not standing behind our allies is that they couldn't get the approval of the Security Council at the United Nations - a body [on] which Canada doesn't even have a seat."
- Stephen Harper supporting the American invasion of Iraq, CTV's Question Period, March 30, 2003.
From the guy whose disgraceful behaviour just cost us a seat on the Security Council.
Yup. We can't change what happened in Iraq.
But for our own safety, and the security of the world.
As if it wasn't bad enough that every time Stephen Harper answers a question in the House of Commons these days, he sounds like he's talking in tongues. All you can make out is the word COALITION. And this kind of insane gibberish.
"The real issue here raised by the Leader of the Opposition is his priorities,” the Prime Minister declared, carrying on quite demonstratively as if to warn the villagers of this monster’s imminent arrival. “He says that he would ground the Canadian Air Force. He says that he would put criminals out on the street. Why? In order to justify a bunch of tax increases he wants to bring on employers. That is the kind of thing that would put the Canadian economy into a deep ditch.”
Today we had the ugly spectacle of the Con stooge John "Screamer" Baird answering another reasonable question from Ignatieff like this.
The crudest response to Mr. Ignatieff’s questions in this regard was by now no doubt obvious, perhaps even inevitable. And though for a moment it seemed no one would dare say it, after a third and final question from the Liberal leader, Mr. Baird could apparently not contain himself.
“I am pleased to talk about the Liberals record on foreign takeovers,” he said. “I think they had a foreign takeover of the Liberal Party just last year.”
“The Conservative side loudly expressed its delight at this and, returned to his seat, Mr. Baird smirked with great self-satisfaction.
Great eh? Ignatieff as the foreigner, the outsider, the TRAITOR. Ha. Ha. Ha.
God fucking help us. What dark parallell universe are these sinister Cons inhabiting? Why are they oinking and defecating in OUR parliament? Why can't they answer a simple question? Why have we come to accept this?
And while we're at it, why does the CBC, which is funded by the Canadian people, not see fit to cover Question Period ? So more Canadians can see what these totalitarian hogs are doing to our country.
Oh well. Best line of the day from Scott Brison:
“Does Canada not deserve better, than a finance minister who cannot add and a Prime Minister who can only divide?”
Good question. Too bad so few heard it. Thank goodness for Aaron Wherry.
As for those Cons...I can only conclude that they have added yet another step to the bizarre way they prepare for Question Period...as detailed in Lawrence Martin's new book.
First they all kiss Great Ugly Leader's ass reverentially....on both chubby cheeks. Then they pray for victory over the godless foreigners. Then they memorize their lines as prepared for them by the thugs in the PMO.
Then they take out their secret weapon. Tongues for Dummies.
And start brushing it up on it.
Like these guys...
And if you thought Stephen Harper and John Baird sound ghastly talking in tongues eh?
Just wait until you hear Vic Toews talking about those dangerous refugees.
Aka Baraka Coalition Macaca. They're Coming in a Honda !!!!
I was surprised to see that the Canadian Blog Awards are back.
Because after last year's fiasco I thought they were dead and BURIED.
Which is why I'm so amused to see that those who created the biggest fuss over the awards last year, are the ones most eager to be nominated this year.
But who really cares eh?
If it was a serious contest, where the nominees were chosen by a jury of other eminent bloggers, it might be worth something. But it's not. It's just a popularity contest where those who win have the most Facebook friends.
And besides I can never forget how two years ago, when I was nominated, a friend told me he wanted to vote for me, but couldn't because somebody had used his office computer to vote for somebody else.
Oh sure, I guess the "contest" does serve some purpose by introducing me to some blogs I'd never heard of before. But like most other Canadian awards, it's usually the same people nominated over and over again.
Who then bombard us with posts BEGGING us to vote for them, because they need to show us how much better they are than the rest of us. How annoying.
Or how BORING.
And as far as self promotion goes, well I don't call my dog Kerouac for nothing.
You know just do it eh? Write as honestly as possible, and leave it at that. If people want to read you they will, and if they don't too bad.
After 1,775 posts, all of them written by me, if I depended on the encouragement of others, I would have quit long ago.
Which reminds me, you don't think there is something we can do something about cross posting do you?
So two identical posts from some blogging conglomerates, don't force two other humbler ones into the blogging basement, before we have a chance to read them.
No. I didn't think so.
Oh well. To all the other bloggers out there who didn't make the short list, don't be discouraged, because it doesn't mean ANYTHING.
Now that it appears the Harper Cons are going to buy more of these F-35 fighters than Britain.
Future prospects for the F-35 joint strike fighter program got a lot murkier Tuesday after British government officials announced plans to delay and dramatically trim their purchases of the warplane from Lockheed Martin.
Even though they are way too expensive, we don't really need them. The only reason the Cons want to spend so much money is so they can pump up the deficit, and use it as an excuse to kill medicare.
The 2006 agreement for developing the controversial F-35 stealth fighter jets contains a withdrawal clause that would allow a new government to end Canada's participation with no penalties and appears to contradict the government's claim that Canadian firms involved up to now would suffer.
Maybe it's time to seriously consider other options. And other planes.
The most likely avenue of attack from the air on Canada today is not from a lumbering Bear bomber, but rather a small privately owned commercial aircraft. The American Norad commander, Admiral James Winnefeld, recently called for aircraft that can fly "low and slow" in order to counter this threat; "F-16s don't fly slow very well," he said. The same could be said of the F-35.
A turboprop aircraft like Embraer's "Super Tucano" or Beechcraft's AT-6B (whose engines are manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Canada in Nova Scotia) would easily fit this bill. At roughly $6-million per copy, we could outfit the air force with 10 times the number of airframes.
Just months before the Harper government announced it would spend an estimated $16-billion on new fighter jets, a report for the Defence Department recommended using “flocking” pilot-less drones to enforce Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic.
And BTW, if anyone thinks that pilotless aircraft are not the future of military aviation.
They really should take a look at these nifty robots...
I for one welcome our new robot overlords.
Forget those old fashioned F35s. Send the Cons to the cleaners.
